Interest

Colored Pencils Popular Among Animators Get Discontinued

In 2015, Mitsubushi Pencil announced that it would no longer produce the "7700" colored pencils favored by the Japanese animation industry. The company quickly reversed that position after members of the industry, including the Japan Animation Creators Association (JAniCA), highlighted the importance of the pencils for animation work. Orange, blue, and yellow-green pencils continued for as long as demand lasted, but five years later, even those colors are discontinuing for good.

JAniCA issued a statement on Tuesday regarding the situation. The statement emphasizes the importance of the pencils in the anime industry. JAniCA will also act as a go-between to help secure supplies from the last shipment of pencils for any animation company that needs them.

Although the pencils are still necessary in many work environments that still draw animation on paper, JAniCA anticipates that the anime industry will continue to adapt and survive.

"Going forward, animation production is getting more digitized. On the other hand, analogue production will also continue, and each approach will give birth to its own strengths. It is a terrible shame that the 7700 will disappear, but there is no doubt that new tools will support animation production in the future. The anime industry will endeavor to evolve its production environment even further and create good work with the help of Mitsubishi Pencil and other related industry members."

Source: JAniCA Press Release